2020-09-09
Settlers lay their hands on the “Ottoman Prison†in Aj-Jiftlik Village / North Jericho
Violation: An Israeli scheme to take over a historical site “The Ottoman Prison”.
Location: Aj-Jiftlik Village / North Jericho.
Date: September 9th 2020.
Perpetrators: Settlers gangs.
Victims: People of Aj-Jiftlik.
Description:
A group of settlers belong to “Sons of the Hells” gang are trying to take over an old prison in “Abu Al-‘Ajaj area southeast Aj-Jiftlik.
In September 9th, it was reported that a group of settlers raided the Ottoman prison building, and wrote hatred inciting slogan and prepared it to use it.
the Ottoman prison building
Aj-Jiftlik village council head Mohammed Ghawanma told LRC:
“The ottoman prison contains rooms, holes and vaults , it has a historical significance for Aj-Jiftlik and it is a prove that the village was populated long ago , the prison is located close to an Israeli military camp , and during the prison mandate , the Brits made it a military camp for their army, and during the Jordanian rule the prison was a military camp for the Jordanian army , when Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967 the occupation forces took over it and turned it into a military base that was evicted in the 90s, and now settlers try to take over it for a new outpost in the area.”
Reportedly, over 2018 Israeli settlers established an outpost on the remains of an evicted military camp in Abu ‘Ajaj area.
Illegal settlers take over historical sites and depopulated areas to build new outpost on the remains of Palestinian villages and depopulated Palestinian Khirbets such as Khirbet Al-Muzokah , Khirbet As-Suweida in the Jordan Valley , and evicted military camps such as Jaba’it military camp in Umm Ar Rashash , Nahil military camp in Khirbet Al-Makhoul , Terstya military camp, Rosh Habaka’a on Ash-Shuweier lands , And At-Tayasir evicted military camp , on the other hand the occupation intensify land grabs and deprive Palestinians of their basic rights.
About al- Jiftlik:[1]
It is located 35km to the northern part of Jericho city and is edged by the village of Beit Dajan from the northwest and Massua colony from the west. The village has a population of 3100 people until 2017 and has a total land area of 185031 dunums of which 1110 dunums are built-up area. Noteworthy, the occupation expropriated around 12040 dunums from the village as follows:
3207 dunums were confiscated for the favor of establishing colonies in the nearby.
3328 dunums were confiscated for the bypass roads no. (90, 505, and 508).
5505 dunums were confiscated for the favor of military camps
[1] GIS-LRC
This report is part of SPLHR project activities
This report was made with EU funding, The contents of this document do not reflect positions and views of the EU
